Bought an incomplete project gun for USD65 - It has issues! Advice requested

[LawrenceA]

Hi all
I was really lucky in picking up a "Perdersoli Pennsylvania" kit incomplete for AUD100 (about USD65). Pictures do tell a story so here is is a short story.

The barrel is a Belgian 15/16" in .45 fitted with a drum. ITS HEAVY!!
I think the stock is plain maple
The double set trigger is really well made but I do not recognise it. Has a machined brass plate
The barrel has been fitted to the stock a little far forward as the barrel does not touch at the back.
Barrel is held in place by 3 wedges and the forend profiled circular with no end cap.
The Buttplate has been well fitted.

Well no surprise it has issues.
The tang is too short to be able to screw into the trigger,
The Pedersoli lock (I already have) will not cover the lock mortise.
The front of the gun looks like TOTW Maryland while the back looks Lehigh.

Current thoughts are:-
Bed barrel to the stock
Ask someone to extend the tang for me so I can then screw down properly.
Lock wise I can try and fill the gaps or maybe get an L&R that will cover the hole. I think USPS is now doing Oz again.
For the trigger guard just use an early wide.

Cannot decide if I should go with Flint or Percussion conversion or whether to try for a classic Maryland look or meaty Lehigh with inlays.

I value your thoughts and guidance.

 

[necchi]

,, your thoughts and guidance.

For $65 you've got a good barrel, trigger assembly, a butt plate and some wedge escutcheons.
Remove all that stuff from the stock and keep them. Those components alone have a value that far exceeds your cost.

If the stock is still solid and straight, use it as a support for a tomato plant or maybe the base/upright for a neat table lamp.

Honest.
You say the barrel breech/tang is not fitted properly, WITH, wedges installed, AND, a bad lock mortise,,(?)
The labor time alone to "quasi" repair (meaning-rather advanced custom fabrication) of the wood isn't reasonable for a hobbyist repair.

I'm not saying it can't/or couldn't be fabricated into something that functions, (many of us at a kitchen table could do that), but with the wood as hacked as it is by the previous owner,,(?). Your better off with a fresh start.

Good luck friend,,

 

[John Spartan]

Did someone try to make the stock for a assorted collection of parts he had on hand?
Pics seem fuzzy on my end but that doesn't look like a factory stock. Looks real rough. If so wood is much easier to work and mold. Changing the metal would be the last thing I’d do. Better to change to wood to fit the metal then vice versa. New stock!
Signed,
Flaming Amateur drinking coffee.

 

[LawrenceA]

Did someone try to make the stock for a assorted collection of parts he had on hand?
Pics seem fuzzy on my end but that doesn't look like a factory stock. Looks real rough. If so wood is much easier to work and mold. Changing the metal would be the last thing I’d do. Better to change to wood to fit the metal then vice versa. New stock!
Signed,
Flaming Amateur drinking coffee.

I believe that Belgian muzzleloader barrels were common in the 70's but not since.
So I think someone started this project 50 years back with whatever they could get and the limited knowledge they had.
The stock is a, really rough, pre shape with about 80% of the easy work done.
I think the old owner knew what he was doing as the work looks quite competent. But I just do not know what he was doing.
The lock mortice looks like a CVA Kentucky lock and is too deep too remove and my lock does not cover the inlet.
I could get another stock (cost me about $600 in OZ) or a new lock (about $200-$250) or just fill the gaps with maple slivers.
Probably try the slivers first as it only costs time.
I need to decide if I want it a percussion or a flinter. Spose I can start with a cap gun and can always change it later.
So for parts all would really not be happy making is a trigger guard.

I just feel sorta uncomfortable that it is a Maryland X Lehigh lovechild. But I do not know much withnhis stuff hence I am reaching out in the hope that soemone can give me ideas or say look at such and such a gun.